True Strength
by Tracie
Summary: Ken Ichijouji gets Wormmon back and is one step closer to finding his heart...based on Ken and Wormmon's image song.


This is my first attempt at a Digimon fanfic...it's based on the episode where Ken looks back on himself, before and after he was the Digimon Kaiser. I know I sound like a total sap, but that episode moved me to tears. I just had to find a way to vent the feelings that the episode stirred up in me...so here's "True Strength," my first Digimon fanfic. It's based on "Hontou no Tsuyosa," (True Strength) Ken and Wormmon's image song. The blue text is Ken, the red text is Wormmon, and the green text is both of them together in the song. When the text goes back to black, it's the fic. When the text is in italics, that's the person narrating that section talking, and the bold is the other person. This fic changes points of views several times, but if you know the basics behind Ken and Wormmon you'll probably be able to tell who's narrating when.  
Review, please! ;o)  
Oh, and a big thank you to Rb, who smoothed over a few rough edges in this fic. Love ya, chica! :o)  
...  
::added after originally posted:: Thank you guys so much for the reviews. I'm glad to know I actually wrote something decent for once! ;o)  
- Tracie  
~  
I hated you   
You couldn't do anything, and you didn't look cool   
I thought you didn't suit me   
  
Wormmon. A worm. A simple creature that comes out to get stomped on after a heavy rainstorm. A useless, pathetic creature.  
  
My partner digimon? Don't make me laugh. He wasn't even worth me.  
  
But I was deceiving myself...  
  
Sam. My dead genius brother. After he died, I had to be just like him, acing every test, being perfect in every way, so that everyone would love me as much as they loved Sam.  
  
But the pressure was too much...I needed to escape...  
  
Into the Digital World.  
  
The Digital World. Where I was the Emperor. I was the powerful one; I was the important one; whatever I wished was granted in an instant. I made digimon into my slaves. I forced digimon who were once friends to fight to the death simply for my viewing pleasure.   
  
I was cruel. So, utterly cruel...  
  
_Here, Sam. You blow some bubbles._  
**_I don't have the technique that you have. You're so gentle; I blow too hard and my bubbles pop right away._**  
  
The digivice had come out of Sam's computer. I was but a child when this strange object flew out of the computer screen.  
**_  
Whoa...what's that?_**  
I don't know...maybe the computer blew a fuse or something.  
**Be careful, it might still be hot.**  
Is there anything inside it?  
**I don't think so...  
Don't take it out of this drawer.**  
  
But...I just couldn't...it was like I was drawn to it...  
  
I opened the forbidden drawer and picked up the strange object. It glowed a strange light in my hand.  
  
I stood in front of the computer screen...and the object pulled me in.  
  
...  
  
_Wormmon, are you okay??  
**It'll take a lot more than that digimon to beat me.**  
Oh, Wormmon...  
**Don't ever forget who you are. You're so kind and gentle...but you have to be strong. You have to be strong or evil will take over your kindness. Don't ever forget who you are, Ken.**  
I promise, Wormmon. I won't forget who I am._  
  
But...I did forget...  
  
And I became the evil Digimon Emperor. Enslaving and torturing while Wormmon sat and watched, helpless to do anything but obey my commands.  
  
When the Digidestined defeated Kimeramon...  
  
I was ruined. Wormmon had *helped* Magnamon defeat him!  
  
My base was destroyed. My power was broken.  
  
I ripped off my goggles. Threw them out into space. They dissolved into computer bytes.  
  
My helmet. Cape. Everything disappeared until I was no longer the Digimon Emperor...  
  
I was Ken Ichijouji again.  
  
The child. The weak one.  
  
But the only one who was with me to the end   
Was you   
  
Wormmon...in his dying moments, he said that he knew...he knew I could do it...he knew who I really was...  
  
and then...  
  
~  
  
I wondered why, too   
You were so cold, and you wouldn't turn around   
I thought I couldn't be with you   
  
He used to be so kind. A small child when I first met him.  
  
When he came through the barrier, I just knew. I was meant to be with him. Ken Ichijouji was my partner.   
  
And what a partner. He was so kind and gentle, perfect for me.  
  
While walking along, a digimon attacked him. I threw my body at it to protect Ken. No matter what, I had to protect him.  
  
The malicious digimon, surprised by my attack, ran away. I lay on the ground.  
**_  
Wormmon, are you okay??_**  
It'll take a lot more than that digimon to beat me.  
**Oh, Wormmon...**  
Don't ever forget who you are. You're so kind and gentle...but you have to be strong. You have to be strong or evil will take over your kindness. Don't ever forget who you are, Ken.  
**I promise, Wormmon. I won't forget who I am.**  
  
But even though he promised...  
  
He did forget...  
  
But I didn't know the reason why   
I couldn't leave you   
  
I watched him as he enslaved countless peaceful digimon. Laughing in unholy joy as digimon under his control destroyed each other. Digimon were nothing to him. Nothing. Bits of data...not living things.  
  
The Digidestined finally came. They finally put an end to his maniacal rampage. But not without a cost...  
  
In a desperate attempt to end his reign of terror, I gave all of my strength to Magnamon so he could defeat Kimeramon. And it worked...  
  
But I had to give my life's power.  
  
I lay there, dying. Surrounded by the Digidestined, who were offering comfort to me.  
The Digidestined were offering comfort to me. Not Ken...my partner Ken...  
  
He had forsaken me...  
  
But when I thought he was gone... He came back.  
  
~  
  
I don't know how long I lay waiting in my digiegg.   
  
But when Ken was near, his restored kindness revived me...  
  
_Ken...please, find me...  
_  
~  
  
Primary Village. Somehow, I found my way there. The land of reconfigured digimon.  
  
So many digieggs. Which one was Wormmon's?  
  
The baby digimon lying awake in their cradles...they wanted me to leave.  
  
**_Hey! You're the Digimon Emperor, aren't you!  
  
We can tell who you are, even without that costume!  
  
Get out of here!  
_**  
I suddenly realized how cruel I'd been to Wormmon and the other digimon. They didn't want me around...only Wormmon, patient and true, still wanted me. Didn't he?  
  
_Wormmon...come back...please...I need you._  
  
What was happening?  
  
My crest of kindness...it was glowing!  
  
And a digiegg...it was different from the others. It was glowing, too...  
  
~   
  
_Ken...please, find me..._  
  
~  
  
It was him. It was Wormmon! In a lower form, yes, but it was him!  
  
We took a roundabout way   
Face to face   
I feel like we've finally met each other   
Your form   
Reflected my heart   
  
~  
  
I came to know true strength   
I learned that if you turn your back on your weaknesses   
You won't get anywhere   
  
That's right, now is the true beginning   
Let's go together   
  
I wonder what we can build together?   
Face to face   
I feel like I've been waiting so long   
If you weren't there   
My heart would still be closed   
  
~  
  
I don't know how long it will take, but I'll rebuild the Digital World. I caused so much suffering, but together with Wormmon, we can do anything. Who knows what we can do? With his help...I can finally find my heart.  
  
~  
  
We took a roundabout way   
Face to face   
I feel like we've finally met each other   
Your form   
Reflected my heart   
  
...~...  
  
  
  
Like? Dislike? Tell me! Just use the little box down there to review.  
  
Seriously, I really would like to hear what you think of my fic. My writing isn't exactly great, I know, but this is my first Digimon fic and I would really appreciate your reviews.  
  
Thanks for reading!  
  
- Tracie :o)  
  
  



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